Cycle & Change by Naomi Westwater
Cycle & Change is poetry spun into folk music. The album follows the life cycle of a year, drawing on themes of nature and playing with the light and dark of the seasons. Written over the last decade, Cycle & Change is highly influenced by life changes brought on by the pandemic and isolation, friendship, as well as the death of a grandparent, Roe vs. Wade, queerness, and gardening.
Cycle & Change was recorded in an old church in West Springfield at Ghost Hit Recording as the leaves were changing colors falling on the tombstones. This album is permission to combine my spirituality and music into one project and to fully lean into my identity as a songwriter and a witch.
Tracklist
| 1. | Cycle & Change | 6:32 |
| 2. | First of May | 2:25 |
| 3. | folk, indie rock, Americana, Alternative - Mama Run | 4:49 |
| 4. | OBNTS | 5:30 |
| 5. | EAT MY CAKE | 4:11 |
| 6. | The 5th Law of Abundance | 4:18 |
| 7. | The Empress | 3:44 |
| 8. | Illegal Shit | 0:35 |
| 9. | Virgo Moon | 3:41 |
| 10. | Tend | 4:30 |
| 11. | Heirloom Love | 1:05 |
| 12. | Fall Song | 5:28 |
| 13. | Bulbs | 5:00 |
| 14. | Solstice | 2:38 |
| 15. | Crows | 5:52 |
| 16. | Winter Song | 3:16 |
Credits
Ben Burns (background vocals, drums, percussion); Cooper Evello (background vocals, flute, keys, organ, grand piano, percussion, saxophone); Lucy Little (violin); Abs Kahler (background vocals, violin); Don Mitchell (acoustic guitar, background vocals, electric guitar, percussion, producer, recording engineer); Samantha Rose (background vocals); Talia Rose (acoustic guitar, background vocals, electric guitar, mandolin, Seagull M4); Chris Sartori (electric bass, upright bass); Naomi Westwater (acoustic guitar, songwriter, producer, piano, vocals)
Dan Cardinal at Dimension Sound in Boston, MA (mastering engineer); Andrew Oedel at Ghost Hit Recording, West Springfield, MA (recording engineer); Philip Weinrobe at Sugar Mountain, Brooklyn, NY (mixing engineer)
Jenny Bergman (vinyl art photographer and graphic designer); Ally Schmaling (album cover photographer)
License
All rights reserved.
Naomi Westwater (they/she) is a queer, Black-multiracial singer-songwriter from Massachusetts. Their work combines folk-rock music, poetry, and spirituality. Their hope is that through ritual and storytelling they can aid nature in the end of capitalism and the return to community, creativity, and collective joy.